This invention relates to the art of fishing rods and more particularly to the art of a line guide and a rod eyelet which enables the line from a fishing reel to be fed through the hollow core of a fishing rod, exiting at the rod tip through a rod eyelet.
Rod line guides used in the prior art are attached in series to the outer portion of a fishing rod blank to yield a finished product. This arrangement has several disadvantages. One, the attachment of guides to a rod blank is a labor intensive process which adds to the finished rod's cost.
A second disadvantage is the increased handling, transportation, and damage costs which results from the attached rod guides. The relatively fragile rod guides are exposed and prone to damage. Even slight cosmetic flaws created by bent or off-center guides will make a finished rod unmarketable. Similarly, damage to the exposed guides during use or transport by the angler is a common source of rod injury.
Further, rod guides impair the suppleness, flexibility, and vibration sensitivity of a rod. The attachment means of winding or gluing the guides to a rod stiffen the rod and interfere with rod's desired action.
Traditional rod guides also affect the weight and balance of the finished rod. The heavier the rod, the heavier the accompanying reel must be for a balanced combination. Serious sport and professional fishermen desire lightweight equipment to lessen arm fatigue from hours of repetitive casting.
A rod with no external, exposed line is particularly adapted for shore or surface fishing in heavy cover. Exposed branches, limbs, grass, and brush piles are all popular sites for "flipping." Flipping involves numerous short, repetitive casts in tight cover. Obstructions often entangle the exposed line on the rod causing delay, line wear and breakage, and frustration on the part of the angler. By passing the line through the rod, the angler can safely manipulate the rod through obstructions without entangling the line. In addition, the heightened sensitivity of a rod, unimpeded by attached line guides, is a particularly desirable trait for flipping.
While fishing rods with line running through the hollow core are not new, such rods have had inherent drawbacks. A common problem is one of excessive contact and wear between the interior wall(s) of the rod and the line. To compensate, internal guides or lining sleeves are provided as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,126 to Barnett which provides for internal line guides and U.S. Pat. No. 1,595,275 to White which discloses a tube lining the rod shaft. However, these features interfere with a rod's sensitivity and prove difficult to repair when a guide does break or become loose. In addition, they provide no protection to the line from excess abrasion.
Other existing breech guides contribute to excessive line wear by imparting too great an entry angle to the line and/or by not providing an optimal smooth surface where the line contacts the breech guide. Further, many breech guides require internal or external sleeves or reinforcement material to be added to the attachment site. One such device is provided by U.S. Pat. 2,776,516 to Jennette which discloses an adapter sleeve. Such designs may structurally strengthen a rod weakened by the insertion of a large breech guide, but their subsequent reinforcement means dampens the desired sensitivity of the rod.
To date, there has been no effective way to provide a quality, long-lasting rod which dispenses with external line guides. Therefore, much room for improvement in the art exists.